New Rule Proposal Could Take Food off the Tables of 175,600 Washingtonians

A recently published draft rule could take food off the tables of 175,600 Washingtonians by eliminating their eligibility to receive SNAP.

The rule proposes changes to a state option called Broad Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE). BBCE allows states to open the doors for certain low-income households to apply for SNAP when they have modest earnings or assets. When these households apply for SNAP, they must still prove that their net income, that is, their income after deducting basic needs expenses for housing, utilities, child care, and some medical expenses, meets the income test to receive SNAP. The only households that receive SNAP are ones that live on incomes at or below the poverty line.

In other words, BBCE helps more households that are eligible for SNAP actually access the program. BBCE primarily helps working poor families with children, low-income seniors, and people with disabilities living on fixed incomes. In fact, of last year’s caseload of households that received SNAP through BBCE in Washington, 73% of the households reported earned income; 34% of those households have a member with a disability. The average SNAP benefit for these households was just over $60/month. SNAP gives these households spending power for food, freeing up limited incomes to divert towards paying the rent, medical bills, and other basic necessities. Without BBCE and SNAP, these households are at risk of deeper hunger, homelessness, and poverty.

We now have just a little over a month to speak out against this latest ill-conceived and harsh attempt to take food off the tables of people and children that are struggling to get by. Join us in speaking out: file your public comment against this rule by Sept. 23.

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